64 Either Way, Both Of The Choices Would Only Result In Another Heartbreak

Shouko spent the next morning fiddling with her phone with a restless look in the library. She had been trying to call her editor, Editor Minagawa but even after half an hour passed, she still had yet to make a call. It was hard for her to keep calm when she wasn't sure what should she ask first.

Kyoya was the one who passed her Editor Minagawa's number. When he saw her nervous look before he went to work, he said he could make the appointment for her but Shouko quickly refused.

How could she let another person do it?

"It's okay, it's okay... She'd understand..." Shouko muttered the words a few times. She resolutely pressed the number and brought the phone to her ear.

Ring... Ring...

"Hello, Minagawa's here," A faintly familiar woman's voice sounded from the end of the line. "Is that you, Writer Yuasa?"

Shouko flustered, didn't expect to hear the other party mentioning her name.

"Yes... yes, it's me, Editor Minagawa," Shouko quietly patted her chest as she took a deep breath. After a moment, her voice became calmer. "I'm sorry for contacting you late. Actually..."

Editor Minagawa chuckled softly, subsequently calming Shouko more as she changed the way she called her. "It's alright, Shouko. I'm the one who should be sorry. I heard that you're in an accident but I didn't go to visit you. How are you? Is it true that... Do you forget everything in the past five years?"

There were concerns and inquiries in the older woman's voice.

Shouko smiled, she sighed quietly. "Well, it's true. I didn't even remember that I'm a married woman. Actually, my husband told me that he has already informed you about my condition. A lot of things happened and I could finally call you now."

"Mr. Kashino did fill us in about you right after that," Editor Minagawa conceded. "Since we're afraid of disturbing your recovery, we're just waiting for you to be alright first. Seeing that you're getting better, do you want to have a meet up?"

Shouko's eyes lit up. She immediately agreed. "Do you have any free time this week?"

"I'm free on... is Thursday alright?"

"Yes!" Shouko laughed while shaking her head, feeling helpless all of a sudden. "Actually, I'm afraid to contact you. The last thing I remember was our meeting in the cafe for my first book. The one before I graduated."

"Then... have you read all of the books you've written?"

"En, yes. I read them," Shouko cast a glance at the bookshelf not far from the place she was sitting. All of the books authored by her were neatly arranged according to their publication dates. "It amazed me to see how many books I've written in a span of five years. Even though I noticed that I've no new book after the previous autumn."

Aiko and the Moon was the latest book she had penned and it was published almost one year ago. Since then, there had been no sign of new work on her laptop and writing book.

"Oh, that..." Editor Minagawa slightly caught off guard by her last remark. She quickly recomposed herself and replied, "You wanted to take a break. After all, Aiko and the Moon is your greatest work. It isn't weird for a writer to stop writing for a while."

"En, you're right," Shouko hummed in agreement. "Then, where should we meet? Should I go to the publishing house to meet everyone?"

She didn't have any recollection of stepping inside the publishing house since she met Editor Minagawa at places like a cafe and restaurant. She was intrigued to go there and see for herself the place that took her in and allow her to achieve her dreams.

"What if you're too overwhelmed when you come here? Is that alright with you?" Editor Minagawa sounded a bit reluctant but seeing that she was just caring about her, Shouko didn't think it was weird.

"It's alright, maybe I could trigger my memory if I went to the place I was familiar with."

"Oh, okay then if you think so..." Editor Minagawa forced herself to smile. It was great that they were currently speaking through the phone if not Shouko could see how pale her face right now. "Come here at 9 on Thursday. Call me once you've arrived."

"Alright, I'll do that," Shouko smiled. "Thank you, Editor Minagawa."

"You're welcome."

While Shouko happily ended the call, more than ten miles away from Rosy Mansion, Editor Minagawa was sitting in her office with a heavy face. She didn't even react when her assistant came in after knocking a few times.

"What's wrong, Editor?" The girl in ponytail asked. "You look awful."

Editor Minagawa raised her head, she smiled wearily. "Shouko would come here this Thursday."

"What? That writer, Yuasa Shouko?" The girl was shocked. "Isn't Mr. Kashino asked us to forbid her from coming here? For fear of her... What if she remembered something?"

"Mr. Kashino has a different request this time," Editor Minagawa leaned her back against the swivel chair. "He said, we could tell her almost everything if she asked. It seems like Mr. Kashino is no longer planning to restrict the information Shouko could get except that one."

"That... won't he be afraid that..."

Editor Minagawa shrugged, implying she herself didn't understand. "Maybe, since he knows it's impossible to conceal it, he's preparing to eventually tell her?"

The girl nodded slowly, her eyes looked complicated as she thought of it.

"It's great if he thinks that way," The girl voiced out her agreement. "It's just... either Mr. Kashino tells her or Writer Yuasa gets to know by herself, both of the choices would only cause another heartbreak."

Editor Minagawa lowered down her gaze, she nodded with her lips pursed tight.

When that time came, they could only hope Shouko wouldn't retreat to how she used to be a year ago.

That pair of round eyes were void of any sign of life as if she was a soulless marionette waiting for its owner to control her limbs.

They didn't want her to live like that again.

The day passed and night arrived. Both Shouko and Kyoya were getting ready to sleep. Under Shouko's persuasion, he didn't insist to continue working until late at night.

"Your sleep cycle is just getting better so don't intentionally ruin it," Shouko nagged a bit. She patted her pillows until they turned plumper before lying down on the bed. "Your complexion is still pale. Are you eating on time? What about staying fit? Do you exercise?"

Shouko knew there was a personal gym inside the mansion but she hadn't seen Kyoya used it.

"I eat on time and exercise regularly, wife," Kyoya wasn't annoyed to hear her nag instead he welcomed it with a wide smile. "Well, I'd usually go for a run in the morning but it's been ages since the last time I did so. Right now I'd just use the treadmill in my office to save time."

Shouko pondered for a moment before she hesitantly asked, "Well, en, did we use to go for the run together?"

Even though she became idle after she came out of the hospital, she actually fond of exercise. During her time in her maiden home, Ono would always go for a run with her in the morning. Aunt Masako even joined them whenever she had time.

She was quite fit so that was why she confused to see how skinny and unhealthy she was.

Kyoya's eyes brightened as an idea popped inside his mind. "Yes, we did. Since you asked, why don't we go together tomorrow? We usually run two laps over the trail."

"Alright," Shouko thought it was a good idea so why not? She should start exercising again to get fit. "But, won't it disturb your working time?"

"I'm the boss," Kyoya answered with a smug look.

So, who dared to reprimand him for being late?

Shouko rolled her eyes, she was tempted to punch this man ah.

"Alright, alright. Let's go to sleep lest we wake up late," Shouko quickly covered herself with the quilt. She didn't want to bother with this man's arrogant look anymore.

Kyoya smiled again. He switched off the lights and immediately hugged his wife to sleep. Shouko wanted to push him away but he stubbornly clung to her as if he wanted to merge with her. In the end, she gave up.

Shouko didn't forget to pinch his arm in annoyance even though it was responded with a laugh by this man.

The next day, Old Takashi drove Shouko to the waterfront before noon. Grandpa would meet her there. Since it was a weekday, there were not many people in the area.

For the occasion, Shouko wore a pastel yellow chiffon floral dress reaching below her knees and a long-sleeved brown sweater over the dress. She paired her outfit with low boots. The end of her dark curls fluttered slightly as she let them loose behind her back.

Her eyes darted around, looking for her grandfather. The old man had texted her, saying that he had arrived and would be waiting for her at the plaza.

After scanning the vast area a few times, she finally spotted him.

"Grandpa!"

Grandpa Kashino turned around, his face beamed once he saw his granddaughter-in-law.

"Shouko! You're finally here."

Shouko quickened her steps. She laughed as she looked at the old man's outfit. Grandpa wore a plaid shirt, black trousers and a brown long jacket with a scarf wrapped comfortably around his neck.

"We match, Grandpa!" Shouko giggled, she quickly took the old man's arm.

"Well, it's a date, right?" Grandpa rose his brows with a smug smile, making Shouko laughed harder.

"How's that brat?" Grandpa asked. "He went to work alright?"

Shouko nodded with a smile. "Yes, although a bit late than usual. We went for a run together this morning so that's why."

"Ah, youngsters~" Grandpa laughed in a good mood. He looked teasingly at his granddaughter-in-law. "It's so early in the morning and you guys have started flirting with each other?"

Shouko nodded shyly. Her cheeks turned rosy red.

Well, they were indeed flirting instead of properly exercising. They ran for ten minutes before her husband stopped and started hugging her, saying the weather was too cold. She tried to push him away but Kyoya didn't even budge.

He used the same tactic on her by deliberately appearing like a dejected puppy, making her heart turned soft.

That man had become sneakier ah!

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The author has something to say:

Then, um, you guys should notice the hint above about why Kyoya was so reluctant to tell Shouko the truth and why did he take extreme measures by concealing everything.